Cristiano Ronaldo hotel: Holograms, a lift which boasts about his career highlights and the star’s boot-prints on every rug — we visit Cristiano Ronaldo’s new self-obsessed hotel
Three-time Ballon d'Or winner preparing for life after football — and we take a look at outcome of ace's new business venture
“When I was young I had the dream of having my own hotel.”
Much in the Robbie Keane mould, who claimed almost every transfer was “a dream come true”, Cristiano Ronaldo insists his latest project is the realisation of a childhood ambition.
The Real Madrid superstar has opened the first two of a four-strong hotel chain across Europe and North America — and they are very much a tribute to himself.
Keep up to date with ALL the Cristiano Ronaldo news, gossip, transfers and goals on our club page plus fixtures, results and live match commentary by clicking HERE
The Pestana CR7 hotel is situated on Rua Comercio — Lisbon’s equivalent of Oxford Street — and just off Praca Comercio.
It is a lovely square which offers stunning views of the sea.
Entering through the main entrance is like the realisation of a childhood dream for any football aficionado.
The reception area is covered with famous programmes from previous World Cups — and a famous quote from the man himself is emblazoned high up just below the ceiling: “Your love makes me strong. Your hate makes me unstoppable”.
Straight ahead is the lift, which stops at all six floors, but first we are going the bar. Just past the table football which surprisingly isn’t just 22 Ronaldo figures.
Beers, cocktails, wine, you name it, it’s all there — and you can enjoy all types of sport from all over the world while you drink.
And then you sit down at the tables while you wait for the finishing touches to your room and something catches your eye.
Ronaldo is here. He’s standing next to you. Except he’s not. It’s just you standing next to a virtual Ronaldo.
Are you Portuguese and don’t particularly like Real Madrid? Or are you a Merengue who sees your Iberian neighbours as rivals? No problem. Luckily, Ronaldo switches from club team to national side while he does his kick-ups by your side and celebrates his achievements.
Now it’s time to go to your room. You’re lucky enough to afford the £900-a-night CR7 suite, which is situated on the top floor.
You get in the lift and just casually wait until you get to the floor six, right?
Wrong!
The lift is the realisation of a childhood dream for any Cristiano Ronaldo aficionado.
It goes through the superstar’s achievements — right from childhood.
You see his breakthrough and Sporting, his medals at Manchester United right to his Ballons d’Or in Spain.
Ronaldo has even provided the relevant years.
The CR7 suite is made up of four rooms — two of which are the bathroom — and two balconies.
There is a PlayStation 4 and a massive TV fitted to the world, complete with two couches to enjoy them with.
In order to get into your bedroom, you must cross the rug which has Ronaldo’s own actual footprints from his football boots.
They are, in fact in every room.
The scenery from either balcony is just stunning and you can see right into Praca Comercio.
There is another TV in the bedroom, which means you will never be short of entertainment no matter where you are.
After you shower and head out, you have to choices:
1) You could take the lift down and, see Ronaldo’s achievements in reverse.
2) You could walk down the stairs and see faces in covered in face paint depicting flags from all around the globe — and Ronaldo chants at every floor from his time at United.
It is ideally located and there is a taxi rank just outside — while at Praca Comercio, and in the surrounding side streets, there are bars and restaurants aplenty.
You may not meet the real Ronaldo at the four-star hotel but, once you’ve stayed here, you won’t have to.
Rooms start from £150-a-night and you can book